The Wake

The entertainment media has been flooding the Internet with postulations of Patrick Swayze’s imminent expiration. It has been confirmed that the man has pancreatic cancer. But in reading some of these stories one would think the ink is already dry on the poor man’s death certificate. Most of the early reports were based on an unverified report by the usual beacon of truth, the National Enquirer. It turns out he’s actually responding well to treatment, and may have years left.

I understand that our culture has a morbid fascination with death. But, is this where we are as a society? If Patrick Swayze donated $1,000 to a cancer charity nobody would bat an eyelash. As soon as there’s pending tragedy the tabloid press attacks like a pack of blood-thirsty hyenas. Nobody was even clever about their coverage of his possible death. There wasn’t a single insensitive allusion (”Swayze soon to be Ghost“) or postmortem postulation (”Will the Heavenly Bouncer Accept or Reject the Swayze?” [that's a Roadhouse reference]).

To anyone who read reports about Swayze dying and actually cared, this is all your fault. Don’t ignore a celebrity until they fuck up or die. If you actually care, stand by them when they’re out of the public eye.

You’re all sick.

Tags: Death, Media, Pancreatic Cancer, Patrick Swayze, Tabloids